ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
PIB Headquarters
National Level Letter Writing Campaign
Department of Posts is organizing a “National Level Dhai Akhar Letter Writing campaign for the year 2019-20 on the theme “Dear Babu, you are immortal” and the last date for posting letter will be 30.11.2019. The letter, to be written in English / Hindi / Tamil may be addressed to the Chief Postmaster General, Tamil Nadu Circle, Chennai 600 002. Only handwritten letters will be accepted. The participants have to give a certificate of proof of their age on the letter such as “I certify that I am Below / Above the age of 18 as on 01.01.2019”.
The competition will be held in two categories. First is Upto 18 years, in which the word limit for Inland Letter Card Category is 500 Words and Envelope Category is 1000 Words, and secondly for above 18 years, the word limit for Inland Letter Card Category is 500 Words and Envelope Category is 1000 Words.
At Circle Level, in each category the First Prize is Rs.25,000/-, Second Prize is Rs.10.000/- and Third Prize is Rs.5,000/-. And at National Level, First Prize is Rs.50,000/-, Second Prize is Rs.25,000/- and Third Prize is Rs.10,000/-, according to the press release issued by the Chief Postmaster, Anna Road HPO, Chennai.
No written communication will be sent for entries other than the selected entries. Please visit www.indiapost.gov.in/VAS/Pages/News/Dhai Akhar National complete.pdf for the notification and more information.
Vice President's Secretariat
Vice President Greets People on Vaisakhi, Vishu, Puthandu, Masadi, Vaishkhadi and Bahag Bihu
The Vice President of India, Shri M. Hamid Ansari has greeted the people on the auspicious occasion of Vaisakhi, Vishu, Puthandu, Masadi, Vaishkhadi and Bahag Bihu. In a message, he said that these festivals, associated with the onset of harvest season, reflect the rich agrarian traditions and composite culture of our country.
Following is the text of Vice President’s message:
“I extend my warm greetings and good wishes to the people of our country on the joyous occasion of ‘Vaisakhi, Vishu, Puthandu, Masadi, Vaishkhadi and Bahag Bihu’.
Associated with the onset of harvest season these festivals reflect the rich agrarian traditions and composite culture of our country.
May these festivals bring peace, harmony, prosperity and happiness in our country.”
Ministry of Agriculture &
Farmers Welfare
Advantage of Chemical Free Farming
Organic farming is recognized as a sustainable agriculture practice promoting use of organic/ bio inputs that takes care of environment  and human wellbeing. Organic farming practices such as crop rotations, inter-cropping, cover crops, use of organic fertilizers and minimum tillage improves biodiversity, nutrient content and water retention capacity of the soil. Organic agriculture also contributes to mitigating the greenhouse effect and global warming through its ability to sequester carbon in the soil .
Organic foods are safe and healthy and also boost immunity. With increased awareness on organic foods, people are inclining more towards organic products and it is fact that since the advent of COVID-19, the demand of organic product has increased in domestic market. The domestic market is growing @ 17% and the projected demand of organic food market is likely to cross Rs. 87.1 crore by 2021 from the Rs. 53.3 crore in 2016 . The export market size of organic products has increased by 42% during the current year  compared to last year and the volume of organic products exported from April 2020 to February 2021 is 819250 MT with value of 948 million USD.
In view of increasing demand of organic food and realizing the advantage of chemical free farming for environment and human life, Government of India has been promoting Organic farming in the country through dedicated schemes namely Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana  and Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region  since 2015-16. Both the schemes stress on end to end support to organic farmers i.e. from production to certification and marketing.
This information was given in a written reply by the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar in Rajya Sabha today.
Ministry of Defence
Financial aid across various schemes aimed at welfare of ex-servicemen & their families enhanced substantially; Proposal cleared by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh
In pursuit of strengthening the support systems for the ex-servicemen and their families, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, on August 11, 2023, approved a substantial increase in financial aid across various schemes aimed at benefiting those who have dedicated their lives in the service to the nation. The increased financial assistance provisions stand as a testament to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi-led government's recognition of the sacrifices made by the ex-servicemen & their families and its sincere desire to enhance their quality of life.
The following enhancements have been approved:
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Vocational Training Grant: The financial assistance under the Vocational Training Grant scheme for widows of ex-servicemen has been increased from Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000. This uplifting adjustment reflects the Government’s commitment to supporting and empowering the widows of the brave soldiers, helping them build new pathways to self-reliance and stability.
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Medical Grant: Non-pensioner ex-servicemen/their widows will now receive an increased Medical Grant, with the amount being raised from Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000. This augmentation in financial aid recognises the valuable contributions made by our non-pensioner veterans and their right to comprehensive medical support, ensuring their well-being even after they have left active service.
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Serious Disease Grant: The Serious Disease Grant for non-pensioner ex-servicemen/ their widows has been enhanced from Rs 1,25,000 to Rs 1,50,000. This move reinforces the dedication to assisting our ex-servicemen in times of critical health challenges, showing gratitude for their unwavering dedication to the nation.
Currently the schemes are being run by Kendriya Sainik Board and funded from the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund. These revised financial assistance amounts will come into effect immediately and will be administered through streamlined processes to ensure that beneficiaries can access the increased aid without any unnecessary delays. These enhancements are a step forward in this direction, as the Government continues to explore avenues for enhancing the welfare and well-being of those who have served the country with honour and valour.
Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs
3,964 existing Government funded vacant houses have been converted into ARHCs for urban migrants/poor
As a positive development, so far, under Model-1, 3,964 existing Government funded vacant houses have been converted into Affordable Rental Housing Complexes for urban migrants/poor. Request for Proposal  have been issued for 5,734 houses in various States. Under Model-2, 66 proposals have been received from public/private entities for construction of 1,02,019 units in 18 States/Union Territories , which are being evaluated by the respective Urban Local Body  and are in the process of getting necessary approvals.
ARHC Scheme is being implemented in all Statutory Towns as per Census 2011 and Towns notified subsequently, Notified Planning Areas and areas of Development/Special Area Development/Industrial Development Authorities.
Initial affordable rent of ARHCs is to be fixed by the local authority based on a local survey. Subsequently, rent will be enhanced biennially by 8% subject to maximumincrease of 20% in aggregate, over a period of 5 years effective from the dateof signing the contract. The same mechanism shall be followed over the entireconcession period i.e. 25 years.
This information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Shri Kaushal Kishore, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
Ministry of Jal Shakti
Drinking Water to All
Since August, 2019, Government of India in partnership with States is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission  after subsuming erstwhile National Rural Drinking Water Programme , to make provision of potable water at the service level of 55 litre per capita per day  to every rural household through tap water connection, by 2024. At the time of announcement of Jal Jeevan Mission, out of 18.93 Crore rural households, 3.23 Crore  households were reported to have tap water connections. So far, 5.72 Crore  rural households have been provided with tap water connections in last 29 months. Thus, as of date, out of 19.28 Crore rural households in the country, 8.95 Crore  households are reported to have tap water supply in their homes. The State/ UT-wise status of tap water connection in rural households across the country is at Annex-I.
Further, as reported by States/ UTs, as on 07.02.2022, out of 17.01 lakh rural habitations of the country, 13.22 lakh  habitations having 77.90% population have provision of potable drinking water with supply level of more than 40 litre per capita per day  and 3.44 lakh  habitations having 20.39% population with supply level of less than 40 lpcd with sources at a reasonable distance and 0.35 lakh  rural habitations having 1.71% population are reported to have water quality issues in drinking water sources.
The year-wise timelines finalized by States/ UTs for making provision of tap water supply to every rural household is as under:
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2020
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2021
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2022
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2023
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2024
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Goa
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Telangana
Bihar
Puducherry
A & N Islands
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu
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Gujarat
Himachal Pradesh
Haryana
Uttarakhand
Ladakh
Manipur
Meghalaya
Punjab
Sikkim
Jammu & Kashmir
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Arunachal Pradesh
Chhattisgarh
Karnataka
Kerala
Madhya Pradesh
Mizoram
Nagaland
Tamil Nadu
Tripura
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Assam
Andhra Pradesh
Jharkhand
Maharashtra
Odisha
Rajasthan
Uttar Pradesh
West Bengal
In Goa, Telangana, Haryana, Puducherry, A & N Islands, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu; provision for tap water supply to all rural households has been made.
Out of Rs. 45,011 Crore allocated for Jal Jeevan Mission in 2021-22, an amount of Rs. 28,681.89Crore  has been released to the eligible States/ UTs so far. Further, in 2022-23, an amount of Rs.60,000 Crore as Gross Budgetary Support  have been proposed for the mission. After approval of the budget, the State/ UT-wise allocation is decided as per approved allocation criteria in the beginning of the financial year.
This Information was given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Prahlad Singh Patel in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
Ministry of Mines
EFFORTS FOR UNINTERRUPTED SUPPLY OF CRITICAL MINERALS
ENHANCED FOCUS BY GSI FOR CRITICAL MINERAL EXPLORATION
A joint venture company namely Khanij Bidesh India Ltd.  has been incorporated with the equity contribution from three Central Public Sector Enterprises namely, National Aluminium Company Ltd, Hindustan Copper Ltd and Mineral Exploration and Consultancy Ltd, with the objective to identify and acquire overseas mineral assets of critical & strategic nature such as Lithium, Cobalt & others so as to ensure uninterrupted supply of some of the critical minerals from overseas countries for the Country. KABIL is presently exploring opportunities for acquisition of overseas critical minerals assets like Lithium  and Cobalt  and taking initiatives with few companies/ projects in Australia, Argentina, and Chile for securing long term supply of these minerals from these countries.
Ministry of Mines has increased focus for exploration of these minerals in the country through Geological Survey of India  and other exploration agencies to become self-reliant in critical and strategic minerals sector.
Ministry of Mines has recently identified the comprehensive list of critical minerals for India to make informed decisions and smooth transition towards a greener and clean energy transition.
India has also become the member of the Mineral Security Partnership  formed by United States to bolster uninterrupted supply chains of critical minerals. In addition to United States, the other member countries are Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the European Union.
This information was given by Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Shri Pralhad Joshi in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
Ministry of Finance
India signs Loan Agreement with the World Bank for USD 21.7 Million for Strengthening the Public Financial Management in Rajasthan Project;
Project to contribute to improved Budget Execution, enhanced Accountability and greater efficiency in Revenue Administration in Rajasthan.
An Agreement for IBRD Credit of USD 21.7 Million from World Bank for the Strengthening of Public Financial Management in Rajasthan Project was signed here today in New Delhi by Shri Sameer Kumar Khare, Joint Secretary , Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance on behalf of the Government of India and Mr. Hisham Abdo, Acting Country Director, World Bank  on behalf of the World Bank. The Implementing Entity Agreement was signed by the Secretary, Finance  on behalf of the Government of Rajasthan, and the Acting Country Director  on behalf of the World Bank.
The Project size is approximately USD 31 million, of which USD 21.7 million will be financed by the World Bank, and the remaining amount will be funded-out of the State Budget. The Project duration is 5 years.
The Project objective is to contribute to improved Budget execution, enhanced accountability and greater efficiency in Revenue Administration in Rajasthan. The Project involves Strengthening of the Public Financial Management Framework; Strengthening of Expenditure and Revenue Systems; and Project Management and Capacity Building among others.
Ministry of Defence
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh visits Indira Point, country’s southernmost tip, during his visit to Andaman & Nicobar Islands
On the final day of his two-day visit to Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh visited Indira Point, the southernmost tip of the country, on January 06, 2023. He was accompanied by Commander-in-Chief Andaman and Nicobar Command  Lieutenant General Ajai Singh. Shri Rajnath Singh took stock of the defence preparedness and encouraged the troops to continue protecting the national interests in the region.
Indira Point is along the Great Channel, popularly referred to as the ‘Six Degree Channel’, which is a major shipping lane for international traffic. A strong presence of the Armed Forces equips India to better discharge its responsibility of being a net security provider in the region.
En-route, the Raksha Mantri halted at the Car Nicobar Island and Campbell Bay where he was apprised about the ground conditions. He also interacted with the joint services troops of Andaman and Nicobar Command there, lauding them for serving the country with unmatched bravery and commitment.
The Raksha Mantri was familiarised with the terrain of Southern Group of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He also paid a visit to INS Baaz and interacted with troops.
On January 05, 2023, the Raksha Mantri visited the Headquarters of Andaman & Nicobar Command in Port Blair where he reviewed the operational preparedness of the Command and infrastructure development at operational areas.
This is the first visit of the Raksha Mantri to Indira Point since January 2019. Apart from the Strategic Signalling in view of proximity of these far-flung islands to the Indo-Pacific, the visit of Raksha Mantri to A&N Command motivated the troops deployed in these distant and remote islands. It is pertinent to mention that A&N Command is a 21-year-old successful Integrated Theatre Command which is now being planned at the national level.
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Prime Minister's Office
PM condemns attack in Stockholm
PM condemns attack in Stockholm
(The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has condemned the attack in Stockholm, Sweden.
“We condemn the attack in Stockholm. My thoughts are with the families of the deceased and prayers with those injured.
India stands firmly with the people of Sweden in this hour of grief.”, the Prime Minister said.
Prime Minister's Office
The entire nation takes pride in the glorious culture of Tamil Nadu: PM
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi said that the entire nation takes pride in the glorious culture of Tamil Nadu. He was responding to the tweet by veteran actor, Rajinikanth wherein Actor spoke about Sengol which will shine in New Parliament Building.
The Prime Minister tweeted;
“தமிழ்நாட்டின் புகழ்பெற்ற கலாச்சாரத்தில் ஒட்டுமொத்த தேசமும் பெருமை கொள்கிறது. புதிய நாடாளுமன்றக் கட்டிடத்தில் இந்த தலைசிறந்த மாநிலத்தின் கலாச்சாரம் பெருமைக்குரிய இடத்தைப் பெறுவது உண்மையிலேயே மகிழ்ச்சி அளிக்கிறது. #MyParliamentMyPride”
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
Cricket fever grips in Gujarat - top cricketers to stay in Ahmedabad for a month
Adorned like a bride Motera, the world's biggest stadium, matches the rhythm of cricket
Kohli-XI busy in net practice for third Test to crush England after winning second Test
Entire Ahmedabad is now seen colored with various shades of cricket. Cricketing fever is tightly gripping the city with top cricketers to stay in the city for almost a month. After winning the second Test, the joy of cricket is skyrocketing and people are waiting eagerly for one more glorious victory against England. The inauguration of world’s biggest cricket stadium is another parallel attraction. Special arrangements have been made for the inauguration of the Motera Stadium by His Excellency the President of India, Shri Ram NathKovind. President Shri Ram NathKovind is on a two-day visit to Gujarat from today. After blessing the third graduation ceremony of Gujarat Central University in Gandhinagar today, he will inaugurate the Motera Cricket Stadium before the start of the day-night test match tomorrow. A special dome has been designed near the stadium for this purpose. In the presence of Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah, Union Minister of State for Sports Shri KiranRijiju, Governor Shri Acharya Devvrat and other dignitaries, foundation stone for new Sports Enclave will also be laid.From the Dome venue, the President will unveil this cricket venueby virtual inauguration of the Motera Stadium.
The President will be apprised of the model of Sports Enclave, to be built side by side the Motera stadium. Afterthat the president will also visit - Hall of Fame in the stadium premises. It is noteworthy that in the Hall of Fame, photographs of famous cricketers from around the world are displayed. In addition, memories of all the matches played in Motera so far have been put together by pictures of about one hundred and fifty matches. The collection of autographed bats of all teams played in Moterain the 2011 World Cup is also impressively put-up.
President Shri Ram NathKovind will later garland the statue of SardarVallabhbhai Patel at the stadium and will also interact with the players of Indian and England cricket teams. With a capacity of 1.10 lakh spectators of the stadium, only 50% of tickets have been sold as per Corona guidelines. The match will be telecast live with around 30 high-tech cameras including a drone camera. Stadium officials today fine-tuned the last minute preparations for huge lighting and camera set-up.
Various cameras such as main camera, strike zone camera, field camera, run out camera, hawk-eye camera are all equipped to capture all moments of excitement. Special arrangements have been made for tight security at Sabarmati and Gandhinagar including Motera Stadium.Everyone is now ready for tomorrow's spectacular show of inauguration and testmatch as well.
Meanwhile, both India and England today looked busy in net practice. Motera's pitch performance also remains an important subject for cricket analysts. During the day-night match, floodlights will mesmerize the spectators watching the game.
Ministry of Defence
Public Exhibition on Chmical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear  Eqipment
Pune : 10 May 2023
As per the instructions of the MoD, NBCE Wing - Pune has organized a Public Exhibition on 10 May 2023 for extending general awareness on Chemical, Biological, Radiological & Nuclear  matters.
Various CBRN Protective Equipment, CBRN Contamination Clearing Equipment, CBRN Emergency Protection and Rescue Drills by NDRF, etc have been shown in the Exhibition.
Apart from NBCE Wing – Pune, a good number of vendors, Government Departments and Laboratories have showcased their wares in the exhibition. Ministry of Jal Shakti was a major participant in the field of protection from CBRN contaminated water.
A large number of public and various Defence Training Institutions have converged into the Exhibition and they were very enthusiastic about watching the high-tech equipment. There was also a screening of films on the subject and the same evoked good interest among the visitors.
The Exhibition was a great success in creating awareness about CBRN matters amongst the common public.
MI/PM
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Ministry of Defence
BANGLADESH ARMY CHIEF ARRIVES ON THREE DAY VISIT
General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, Chief of Army Staff, Bangladesh Army arrived on a three-day visit to India from 27 to 29 April 2023. During the visit, he is meeting India’s senior military and civilian leadership where he will discuss avenues for enhancing India-Bangladesh defence relations.
India and Bangladesh share the historical legacy of cooperation and support during the Liberation War of 1971. The active engagement on the defence side includes high-level exchanges at the level of Service Chiefs, conduct of the inaugural Annual Defence Dialogues by the Defence Secretaries, Tri-services and Service-specific Staff Talks. Exchange visits of Bangladesh Mukti Jodhas and Indian war veterans take place every year in December to mark the Victory Day celebrations in Dhaka and Kolkata.
General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed called on General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff on the evening of 26 April 2023.
The Bangladesh Army Chief commenced his visit by paying tributes to the fallen heroes of the Indian Armed Forces by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial. The visiting General was accorded a Guard of Honour at the South Block Lawns after which he called on General Manoj Pande, the Chief of the Army Staff. The Army Chiefs discussed various issues pertaining to enhancing and strengthening interoperability, training, anti-terrorism collaboration and overall bilateral cooperation as part of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations.
General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed later called on General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of Naval Staff, Air Marshal AP Singh, Vice Chief of Air Staff, Defence Secretary and the Foreign Secretary. He was also briefed on the Indian indigenous defence equipment manufacturing eco-system by the Department of Defence Production  and the Army Design Bureau. An ‘’Implementing Arrangement’’ for UN Peacekeeping Operations and Training Cooperation between Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping , India and Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operations Training , Bangladesh was signed between both Armies during the visit.
The visiting Bangladesh Army Chief is the Reviewing Officer for the Passing Out Parade at Officers Training Academy, Chennai scheduled on 29 April 2023. He will visit the Officers Training Academy Museum and interact with the cadets of the passing out course.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
COVID-19 UPDATE
70.75 Cr. vaccine doses have been administered so far under Nationwide Vaccination Drive
37,875new cases in the last 24 hours
Active cases account for 1.18% of total cases
India's Active caseload stands at 3,91,256
Recovery Rate currently at 97.48%
39,114recoveries in the last 24 hours increases Total Recoveries to 3,22,64,051
Weekly Positivity Rate  less than 3% for last 75 days
Daily positivity rate reported to be 2.16%less than 3% for last 9 days
53.49 cr Total Tests conducted so far